Chad Ford's Two-Round Mock
The NBA Draft is on Thursday. The seismic activity that was Joel Embiid's broken foot has thrown the draft into chaos with less than a week to go. As teams wait to see the medical reports from Embiid's surgery on Friday he now is the wild card in the draft. Apart from Embiid, however, things are settling down. Workouts, physicals, psych testing and interviews are, for the most part, finished.
Now teams are hunkering down in their war rooms, finalizing their Big Boards and talking trades and strategies. I've spent dozens of hours on the phone the past few days trying to sift through the flak to get an accurate read on what's happening.
Here's our best stab, after talking to numerous NBA team sources, about how the draft might play out on June 26. And for the first time this season, we have a full second round mock draft as well. As trades and other prospect news develops we will continue to update this mock draft throughout the week.
Remember our Mock Draft is not a ranking of who we think the top players are. Instead it's a reporting tool to convey our latest intel from NBA scouts and GMs on what each time might do in the draft.
Here we go:
1. Cleveland Cavaliers - Jabari Parker
A week ago, Joel Embiid looked like a lock to be the No. 1 pick in the draft. News of a stress fracture in his right foot sent the Cavs spinning. Now the Cavs are wrestling between three options: draft Jabari Parker, draft Andrew Wiggins or trade the pick.
Sources close to the Cavs told ESPN.com this weekend that the Cavs are now leaning toward taking Parker with the No. 1 pick. However, it's far from a lock. Parker came in to work out on Friday in front of the Cavs front office and ownership. Parker wasn't great. He was a bit heavy (he weighed in at 255 pounds), didn't shoot the ball well and got winded at times. Furthermore, two different sources told ESPN.com that Parker seemed a bit indifferent. One source said he thought Parker "tanked" the workout.
Why? A source says he strongly prefers to play in Milwaukee. The Cavs appear to be aware of this. "Jabari wasn't himself," one source said. "It was clear we weren't his first option."
Meanwhile, Wiggins came in and nailed his workout on Wednesday. He shot the ball well, showed off tremendous athleticism and had a good interview. In fact, Wiggins was emphatic that he wants to be the No. 1 pick and wants to play for the Cavs.
So why is Parker ahead of Wiggins?
From what I can gather, while there are disagreements in the front office, Cavs GM David Griffin feels that Parker fits a more immediate need at the 3. Parker also is the most NBA-ready. They feel that whether he wants to play there or not, those hesitations will disappear when he arrives. They have a new front office, a new head coach and believe that he can actually help them build the sort of culture they want. Parker's workout on Friday did create doubt, especially among ownership, but so far it looks like they are still leaning Parker.
The third option, a trade, is also on the table. The Cavs received intriguing offers from the Sixers, Magic and Jazz late last week. Each is offering its own high lottery pick plus a veteran. The Cavs could theoretically get one of Thaddeus Young, Arron Afflalo or Derrick Favors and still have a top-5 pick in the draft. It would make it much easier to draft Embiid if you knew you got additional value in the form of a veteran who can help now.
2. Milwaukee Bucks - Andrew Wiggins
Embiid's injury made this pretty easy for the Bucks. With Embiid out of the picture for Milwaukee (sources say they won't select him at No. 2) they take Parker or Wiggins -- whoever the Cavs pass on.
The Bucks always have had a slight preference for Parker. They need the scoring, the maturity in the locker room and frankly, they just need to get this pick right and Parker is the surest thing in the draft. They haven't been as high on Wiggins. However, Wiggins' strong workouts in Santa Barbara last week and in Milwaukee this week have cemented their resolve to take Wiggins if the Cavs take Parker.
The Bucks also have a strong affinity for Dante Exum, and he's still in the picture at No. 2. However after Wiggins' workout on Friday, the chances of Exum going No. 2 seem to have grown quite small. The Bucks believe in him, but they think Wiggins has an even higher ceiling.
The Bucks also are getting their fair share of trade offers. The Sixers, Magic and Jazz all called them as well offering similar packages. But it looks unlikely the Bucks are going to trade this pick. They need a franchise player and don't feel they'll get one later in the draft.
Look for the Bucks to be very active, however, in acquiring a second first-round pick -- preferably a lottery pick. There is serious interest from teams in Brandon Knight, John Henson and even Larry Sanders. They'd love to acquire another pick in the Nos. 7 to 10 range to land either a young point guard or a shooter.
3. Philadelphia 76ers - Dante Exum
The Sixers are doing what they can to move up in the draft. The news of Embiid's injury hurt them more than anyone. Philly had become convinced that the Cavs would take Embiid and the Bucks would take Parker, giving them their No. 1 target, Wiggins.
The Sixers have zeroed in on Exum and Noah Vonleh here. They are very high on Exum as a prospect. He obviously plays the same position as Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams. However, the Sixers feel the two can play together and they continue to explore Carter-Williams trades that would land them a third lottery pick in the top 10. The Lakers have strong interest in a package of Carter-Williams and Thaddeus Young for the No. 7 pick and Steve Nash. But so far there hasn't been any traction on that deal according to sources. Even if they don't move Carter-Williams, they might still lean Exum. They have him ranked as a stronger pro.
Vonleh would give them a big who could spread the floor and help Noel on the defensive end. He's especially appealing as there aren't great bigs available to them at the No. 10 pick. If the Sixers can't get another pick in the Nos. 5-8 range, they could decide to go ahead and take Vonleh here.
There also is a chance that the Sixers would take Embiid here. They are trying to get as much medical information as they can on Embiid (as are the rest of the teams in the NBA). They had Embiid ranked very high on their board and showed last year that they aren't afraid to take an injured player and wait for them to get better. I think ultimately it's Exum or Vonleh, but Embiid is definitely in play here.
4. Orlando Magic - Noah Vonleh
The Magic have also been trying to both move up and get another lottery pick. They've offered Nos. 4, 12 and Afflalo to the Cavs and Bucks, but so far, no takers. They've also used Afflalo as bait to get a pick from the Kings at No. 8 and the Nuggets at 11, but so far, no deal.
The Magic also are taking a long look at Embiid. They know they need an athletic rim protector. Nikola Vucevic has been great, but he doesn't provide the defense they seek in the middle. But there is concern in Orlando that Embiid's timetable won't work with what they are trying to build. If he misses the year and then essentially has his rookie year in 2015-16, they can't really expect him to start helping until 2016 season at the earliest. The Magic have already had two brutal years or rebuilding. Two more sounds gut wrenching.
The Magic are also very keen on Exum and I'm told would likely select him if he's on the board. If he's gone and Embiid seems like too much of a risk, then it comes down to Vonleh and Marcus Smart to the Magic.
Vonleh has intrigued them ever since a stellar workout. His ability to stretch the floor and his ability to protect the rim make him a very good fit next to Vucevic. The team also needs a point guard badly and has been enamored with Smart for two seasons. Smart's workouts haven't been great in Orlando, however, and the Magic increasingly believe they can get a very good point guard at 12. I think Vonleh has the edge.
5. Utah Jazz - Aaron Gordon
The Jazz, like the Sixers and Magic, have been trying to get into the top two as well. The decision to include Favors in a deal shows just how highly they value the top pick. And no, Jazz fans, I think it's Wiggins that they're after (though obviously they'd be happy with Parker too).
If they stay at No. 5, their top two targets -- Exum and Vonleh -- are off the board. From what I can gather the next player on the list for the Jazz is Gordon. He had a stellar workout in Utah and the team is convinced that he could have an Andrei Kirilenko-like effect on the team. Because Gordon has never been a shooter; he's had to develop every other part of his game (ball handling, passing, rebounding, defense) to justify putting him on the floor. But if he could ever learn how to shoot, he has everything else that you could want in a NBA star.
6. Boston Celtics - Joel Embiid
Embiid could go No. 3 to the Sixers (or to the Cavs in a Sixers-Cavs swap) or the Magic at No. 4. But if he slides past both of those teams (I don't see the Jazz taking the risk on Embiid) there's an increasing belief that GM Danny Ainge won't let him slide further. Ainge always has been a gambler, he's always emphasized have great assets and Embiid has the potential to be a franchise center, and there's no one else on the board that the Celtics are in love with.
There are a few caveats. The Celtics, like everyone else, are still gathering medical info. Sources say that the foot and back fractures aren't the only issues with Embiid's physical. There are several other issues that need to be addressed. Something they see in the next four days could scare them away. And second, the Celtics are engaged in a number of different trade scenarios that could alter this plan (by either trading the pick or getting an established star that would necessitate getting a player in the draft that could help them now.).
If the Celtics pass on Embiid, I believe Gordon is their top target. If he's gone, Marcus Smart seems to be the next guy up. The Celtics love his toughness and think he can play with Rondo as well as free them up to explore Rondo deals.
7. Los Angeles Lakers - Julius Randle
Julius Randle went into the Lakers' workout and ferociously tried to end any doubt about where he belongs in the draft. After facing numerous questions about foot surgery this summer, Randle was dominant in the workout.
Yes, Randle will likely have to have a minor procedure to clean up a rogue screw in his foot. But the Lakers, reportedly, aren't as concerned as other teams. Marcus Smart seems to be the other strong contender for this pick. He came in for a second workout this weekend and had a strong one, but it looks like Randle has moved into the lead if the Lakers keep the pick.
"If" is key. The Lakers have been very active in looking for veteran for their pick. Players like Klay Thompson, Michael Carter-Williams and Thaddeus Young are all interesting to them. This is a team that wants to win now. Randle or Smart could help, but a veteran will even be more ready.
Doug McDermott and Elfrid Payton also have been getting long looks from the Lakers, but it appears that both players are only in play if Randle and Smart are off the board.
8. Sacramento Kings - Marcus Smart
The Kings are another team that will seriously consider Embiid if he's on the board.
The Kings continue to be active in trying to trade the pick with multiple sources saying that a trade is more likely than the Kings drafting where they are drafting.
Now that the team knows Rudy Gay will be back next year, the Kings are focusing on getting another point guard and an athletic big man to pair with DeMarcus Cousins.
But until a deal materializes we have to take a look at what they are doing. Smart is the favorite if he's still there. He brings toughness, is NBA ready and allows the team to get much bigger at the point. McDermott, Nik Stauskas and Elfrid Payton are also interesting to the Kings.
9. Charlotte Hornets - Doug McDermott
The Hornets continue to focus on shooters. McDermott remains a favorite there, even after his workout was just so-so. Stauskas is another strong possibility as is Gary Harris and James Young. Payton is the other sleeper here. The Hornets would like some depth at the point guard position behind Kemba Walker.
10. Philadelphia 76ers - Nik Stauskas
If Embiid falls to No. 10, I think this is his backstop. Can't imagine he slides past Philly.
One of the downsides of taking Exum is there is a huge glut of wings on the board. Ideally, the 76ers need a forward here. But the draft board doesn't really support it right now. Of the shooters that are on the table, Stauskas, Harris and Young all seem to be in the mix here. Stauskas gets the slight nod here.
We've had Dario Saric here in the past and he's still a possibility. However, Saric is staying in Europe for the next two years. While it doesn't preclude the 76ers from taking him here (especially given all the picks they have) this team needs players.
11. Denver Nuggets - Jusuf Nurkic
The Nuggets are yet another wildcard here. They've had talks with the Bulls, Magic, Warriors and Bucks that would move them out of this spot.
A rumor that they made a promise to Saric has also been floating around, though a source close to the Nuggets and Saric deny it.
Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic also is supposed to be a favorite here as well. He's got great size, a soft touch around the basket and is huge. NBA GMs are all over the place on him, but it's now possible that Nurkic is the second international player off the board.
12. Orlando Magic - Elfrid Payton
This pick remains highly contextual based on what the Magic do at No. 4. If Exum falls to them or if they take Smart, then they'll likely look at another big -- and Saric is the one guy left on the board who really makes some sense for them. His playmaking ability, rebounding and versatility make him a nice fit in Orlando. Exum and Saric would give them the two best young international prospects in the draft.
But if Exum is gone and they pass on Smart and take Vonleh, look for them to take a point guard. There are several intriguing point guards here - the most exciting of which might be Payton. His athleticism, quickness, defensive toughness and ability to get to the rim make him a great fix in Orlando if they pass on Exum. Tyler Ennis, Zach LaVine and Shabazz Napier would all get looks here too.
13. Minnesota T'Wolves - Gary Harris
The Wolves continue talking trade now with a number of teams. The Warriors, Celtics, Nuggets and Bulls are getting the most play right now. The Warriors deal was "near the finish line" according to one source before it stalled because of the other players involved in the deal. The Bulls, who are offering Taj Gibson, Tony Snell plus No. 16 and 19, are the latest suitors.
If they keep the pick, they'll look for a shooter. Stauskas is a favorite if he's here. If he's not, they choose between Harris, James Young, Rodney Hood and Adreian Payne. Of those four Harris has the ability to make the biggest impact now. He's a player who can get it done on both ends of the court.
14. Phoenix Suns - James Young
The Suns are talking trade with a number of teams, as well. Interestingly, they've spoken with several teams about point guards despite having both Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe. Could the Suns be thinking of trading Dragic or not matching an offer for Bledsoe? Their biggest need is probably at wing. Young has the ability to play both the two and three with his 7-foot wingspan. He's one of the youngest players in the draft and projects as a potent shooter down the road. I think this is a nice value pick for the Suns if he's still here. Rodney Hood are T.J. Warren are other players who will get long looks from Phoenix.
which is why i love this draft. so damn stacked 
